Dowel Jones

To see Ron's answer to Tammy's library episode, check out the cover of the April issue of Esquire. I haven't read the accompanying interview yet.

The prosecutor should have more forcibly explained to the family members that bail is not the same as an acquittal and release. They're so wrapped up in their own anger they have no idea what's going on. And I'm not sure if Barb, educated as she is, understands the concept of bail either. The bondsman guaranteed the other $900,000 of his bail (are you kidding me?) and even after Carter returns for trial, the bondsman will take a fee for his services, which comes out of Barb's and the temple's money. I agree with the comment about the Dad and the files. That struck me as just so skeevy, I wondered if there is something more sinister there.

Maybe their research would have had more success had they employed a Transmogrifier. Red gives Liz a bottle of '82 Belchfort (or whatever it was). She mentions that it's 31 years old. Addition continuity, anyone? Non-talking patient signals the King in his solitaire game. Liz: "Yes, sir, my name is Agent Keen. Can you tell me anything about your friend?" Patient signals the King again. "Oh, right", she says, "But wait a minute. The Kings write for a completely different television show. I'm confused." Patient reshuffles and hands her two aces and two eights.

The unsecured, unlocked, plainly labeled as radioactive dumpster, to be specific. I had completely forgotten about Scott, and my reaction was "Ragosa is the stalker? Seriously?" Thanks for the clarification.

Assault, however motivated, is still one huge liability on the hospital. I was rather stunned that the only reaction was a pat on the back. Of course, it did occur near the end of the episode so there were time constraints, but still I would think that administration would like to have a long talk with him.

Thank you for that. I was thinking that he was a Follower the whole time, which made absolutely no sense. Well, except within the confines of this trainwreck. Show, I know that the theme is that the bad guys, no matter how inexperienced, have to evade the LE at every turn (as you so have ably shown over the past several episodes), but couldn't you just once give the law enforcement agencies and the justice system just a wee bit more competence? As TV Anonymous noted, I too bought a family size bottle of ibuprofen for the wrist and forehead pain. Speaking of the laptop, just how far do those cameras broadcast? The paralegal definitely gets the I'm As Smart As Martha award. Hey, Max, next time you're hanging off a wall, try grabbing the pole with BOTH HANDS. You might acually be able to pull your own dumb ass up. Wouldn't it have made sense for someone to, you know, watch the camera on the brownstone after the couple left? Just to see if someone else came in or out? And maybe secure the entire dormitory during the search? By the way, campus police are fully trained law enforcement officers. It might have been more expedient to inform them ahead of time so they could intervene, instead of waiting for the Three Amigos and a SWAT team. Just a thought. I thought it cute that they used the exact same prison sally port that Joe used way back when. And when Ryan waxes so eloquently on board the ship about how Mark is going to spend the rest of his life in a cell, I actually said "Uh, better think that one through again, boy." Regarding the fireman, if Chris grabbed him, there would have been a struggle, with noise. If he stabbed him right beside the bed, there would be death noises. Yet it was somehow possible to accomplish both without even a peep from the fourth unlucky fireman. By the way, since the access door was locked and required release from the inside, how did the other two get in, since the door obviously closed after the girl came in? I guess nowadays shipping companies just dock their cargo ships and walk away for the night. And gunfire must be a rather common occurence.

Just to be fair, I don't think anyone, (me anyway), is capable of debating any topic while standing ankle deep in snow with more coming down by the minute. Speaking of storms, I wonder if one would brew up on the local scene after Peter's obvious ploy to block traffic at a critical place and time. Of course, if you wait until 7:55pm to go to the polls, you probably deserved it.

Chekov's mail robot?

I'm obviously in the minority here, but, from my experience working with computers in the office and such, all I can say is DIE ROBOT DIE! But enough about that. I'm not so sure that Martha would face jail time, although her chances of finding a significant job afterward would be somewhere near zero and minus one. If she were to throw herself on the mercy of Gaad and Taffett, explaining that she was duped, it is possible that the FBI would avoid the publicity of a trial and just lose her somewhere. Walking the tightrope with Philip is infinitely more dangerous. Rewatching the execution scene, I am puzzled why the RSA operative, a trained field agent, did not up and run for the exit. He had to know he was going to die anyway, and his legs weren't shackled. Then again, that was the purpose of the scene. Poor Paige. Her world seems to be spinning on the wrong axis. Se's wondering what, or whom, to believe now.

I could see that happening. Maybe even a sympathetic agent planted it there. Despite the conspiracy theories that would pop up, it's easier on the CIA and the administration if he disappears ( and I cringe while I write this). When William Colby disappeared into Chesapeake Bay in his canoe, I'm sure there were the same alarm bells that went off, but he took a lot of embarassing secrets with him.

Ryan at the news conference (paraphrased): "He's a cowardly killer, and his days are numbered. The FBI is coming for him." So, basically, he has the run of the countryside for the next several weeks. All in all, I found it hilarious that Neil wasn't given up by good cop work but by the loud protestations of his demented father. It took those cops at the roadblock long enough to react to the car turnaround. Don't law enforcement agencies use computer generated in-color suspect sketches to get the best possible likeness for public release? And, finally, was there nothing in that upper floor room that would break the window glass so the reporter could attract some attention? I would sacrifice a foot or a knee to make it happen. But hey, she was only a guest star.

If there is anyone Loretta should fear, it's Katherine. All the men in town seem to be rather in fear of her.

And after her dream, she wakes up in bed with regular guy Fitzgerald Grant at their B&B in Vermont, surrounded by various characters such as Handyman Huck, long term tenant David and his ditzy wife Abby, drop in love interest Edison, etc.....

Sort of like today's Congress and Senate.

Interesting method, and I wonder if it was historically accurate. I was expecting the head on the block, rather than the assistant grabbing Lemay's arms and putting his own head into the small of his back, in order to keep him upright for the swing. What a rotten job. Aside from the obvious danger, he also gets literally covered in blood directly afterward.

I laughed when she walked into that giant suite. I'll bet that the clerk saw the handful of cash, noted her condition, and sold her the most expensive room he could. I think the reason Junior is still in jail is that the police suspect him of more than just loaning/renting the car to his friend. That and they're taking advantage of the father's lack of knowledge of the justice system and his unwillingness to step on toes. The latter more than the former.

And, as always, with red lights flashing so as to warn any traffic ahead on the isolated road that there's a cop car coming. Move over! Hurry up and kill that guy!

I remember reading on how the FBI was going through a lot of difficulties due to a complete change in their recruiting because Hoover had built a button down organization so much in his own image. There were jokes like "How do you spot the undercover FBI agent at a protest gathering? He's the only one wearing black wingtips." And so on. I even saw a news article on a hostage situation where the FBI sniper took out one of the bad guys and saved the day. A photo with the story showed him in his position on the ground, in shirt sleeves. Hoover sent him a letter of reprimand for taking off his suit jacket. Sheesh.

Eh, it's no worse than Stan's son with that Anton Chigurch (No Country for Old Men) haircut. Serial killer in training, there. I don't know whether bakery lady was a plant or just a bystander. If she was on the job for the RSA government, she would have been better prepared, I would think. Hans got an education on the real world of spycraft (at least the real world of tv spycraft), and now he's shocked. And Philip has yet more scars and bruises he has to explain the next day. What was the point of kidnapping the handler, anyway? Seems risky to me, as the embassy would notice his absence almost immediately, and they can't turn either of them loose.

Something has to go wrong with this construction project of Casey's. Maybe something from his past is going to rise up against him, someone seeking revenge for something. It just has to. Or maybe it's just Capone's other safe. I'm surprised we haven't seen an appearance of a personnel assistant dragon lady, what with all the movement at House 51. They must be getting irritated at the paperwork.

I started when Arlo showed up. "You're dead", sez I. Then Raylan is digging up his own gravestone. I was almost thinking they're both already dead in one of those Sixth Sense endings. Slow down, Dowel. Raylan's just chasing ghosts. "You shot me in the back". "Well, if you wanted to be shot in the front, you shoulda' come toward me". Walker's last comment was rather cryptic, too. What DO they want??? Earl better hide his hide somewhere quiet and lonesome, for awhile anyway. Too bad that dynamite blast didn't occur when Markham was in the safe, and drop him right down on top of those guys. For reference, Dark as a Dungeon is the title to a classic Merle Travis song from the late 40's, and is an almost dirge-like lament about life in the mines. "Well it's dark as a dungeon, and damp as the dew; where dangers are double and pleasures are few..."

Almost without exception, VPs have been chosen for their ability to bring in votes from a desired constituency, rather than ability to do the job. But, back to the actual episode. I realize that it was set up as a morality play, but didn't anyone at scene realize, and bring it up, that every bit of evidence was compromised from the beginning? Allowing non-investigators to enter the crime scene, move the body, etc.? Absent the rant by the officer, in real life he would have a good chance at acquittal at trial because of all that. But, the point was made in the end. At the moment that the replacement VP was mentioned, I was sure that he was going to suggest Olivia. HA! So much soap potential there. On the other hand, if Mellie became President, Fitz could do whatever (and whomever) he wanted with impunity. Of course, I'm not implying that has anything to do with current events, mind you.

Although mention was made of the lack of funding for oversight of the programs, I find it difficult to believe that MS would hold her staff of 6 people directly and completely responsible for not seeing the corruption of the microloan program. This is the Dept. of State, remember. They have quite a few things going on in everyday business, and unless you dedicate one full time person to watch over how each dollar is spent on each of the myriad programs that State manages across the world, things are going to occur. You correct the error, and you move on, unless your staff is involved.

Wouldn't it be interesting if Kimmie were somehow a plant by the CIA to trick Philip into a honey pot trap?

So, all these guests were taken to an extremely remote location, with subterreanean tunnels, and yet, there's a lighted EXIT sign at the end of the hallway that Lizzie points Little Harry Potter stand-in toward. Let me guess. There's also a "This Door Must Remain Unlocked During Business Hours" sign on it too? One must obey the rules, after all. What in the world did actual Art Lady hope to gain by ratting out Lizzie to the King brothers? A pat on the back? You're going down big time, lady, and you show about as much common sense as the FBI. Oh, by the way, Kings; you missed out on the auction of the century. It was on the other network. Would have made a great cameo, though. Dembe: "Boss, we need to talk. I've been taking some major league hits for you here lately..."